In this topical essay, I will be comparing and contrasting three popular and unique songs. These songs are Woody Guthrie's "Pretty Boy Floyd", Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff", and Body Count's "Cop Killer.” Even though these songs are different in a number of ways, all of these songs musically illustrate a violent altercation between a citizen and representative of government/law enforcement. This is important to note as because each song evokes different emotions from the listener. The two things that make each of these songs different is that they are all from different genres and different time periods. They are all very similar because they tell a story either from either a first person perspective or a third person perspective. Bob Marley, …show more content…
who was a reggae singer, released "I Shot the Sheriff" in 1973. This song is one of Bob Marley’s most famous singles and would later be covered by Eric Clapton in 1974 and Warren G in 1997. In Marley’s song, I believe the law enforcement figures represent corrupt, antagonistic characters, or the “bad guys”. These corrupt characters have falsely accusing the narrator of the song and are attempting to frame him as guilty for supposedly killing the deputy, when he suddenly admits that he kills the sheriff. Their crooked and amoral behavior is also described in verses in which the sheriff is described as baselessly harassing and expressing a vindictive hatred towards the narrator. One good example from the song that shows that the law enforcement figures are the “bad guys” is given in the descriptions of the narrator acting in self-defense: “All of a sudden I saw sheriff John Brown aiming to shoot me down” (AZ Lyrics, 1). This song was made as a reaction to the cultural condition that was occurring in the United States. Marley was a very political person and who was inspired to provide a voice for all the underrepresented and marginalized members of the African American community. He wanted to raise awareness outside their community while empowering them with an assertive spirit that could help them could rise up in society. Some have also argued that this song was an adversarial reaction towards the use of birth control. While Marley was making the album, Marley’s girlfriend, Esther Andersen, was on birth control pills. He opposed her use of this medication, as he believed that their love was everlasting and that they were meant to produce a baby. The doctor who prescribed pills to her happened to be the eventual sheriff. This theory is evidenced in the song through the pointed lyrics: “Every time I plant a seed, he said kill it before it grow” (AZ Lyrics, 1). The story of this song was being told from the first person perspective, as the narrator of the song himself is telling a story of how he was being falsely accused of killing the deputy, but ultimately admits that he shot and killed the sheriff. Body Count, which is a heavy metal rock band, released "Cop Killer” in 1992. In Body Count’s song, the law enforcement figures are portrayed as the “bad guys” as the narrator expresses a desire to kill members of the police so that they and their families can feel the same pain and suffering that has affected other families as a result of senseless police brutality. One clear example of when the song identifies law enforcement figures as the “bad guys” is when the narrator refers to Darryl Gates and Rodney King. In 1991, Darryl Gates and his squad brutally attacked a defenseless African American man named Rodney King during an arrest and prior to taking him into custody. This song was made as a reaction this violent incident that incited an explosion of racial tensions resulting in weeks of protests, civil unrest, and expressed major clashes between the African American community and law enforcement. Cop Killer was released one year after this act took place. The story of this song was being told from the first person perspective as the narrator of the song is personally expressing his anger towards how law enforcement figures have been brutally attacking people without any apparent consequences. The response to Cop Killer was very positive.
When the album was released, the band’s surged by 370%, their sales in Los Angeles jumped 60%, and they sold over 17,000 copies in one week (Philips, 1). However, many different law enforcement agencies around the world criticized and expressed disapproval towards the song. Government officials, law enforcement agencies, and even President George H. W. Bush felt oppressed and even angered by the perceived message of the song. A number of law enforcement agencies around the United States vocalized their opinion that the song encouraged ‘violence against the police’ (Rowley, 1). They believed that the song would create more violent conditions in the form of protests or riots. In response, Warner Brothers Records, which is an American record label company, announced that would stop producing the records and distributing the song because they were receiving death threats (Rule, 1). Of the three songs, we can determine that this song raised the most criticism and controversy. Personally, I did not enjoy this song at all and would not recommend it to anybody because I believed that the profanities and vulgarities in the lyrics were gratuitous and it reflected a strongly biased viewpoint of obvious hatred towards law enforcement …show more content…
agencies. Woody Guthrie, who was a folk singer, released "Pretty Boy Floyd" in 1941.
This musical is about a very well known bank robber and outlaw, Charles Arthur Floyd who was later known as ‘Pretty Boy Floyd.’ This song was made as a reaction to a violent cultural act from Pretty Boy Floyd. I do not believe that this song would inspire a similar violent act in the United States, because this song has a calmer, mellow tone and ultimately, a happy ending in which the good of society is promoted by the outlaw. Even though the story in the song is about a confrontation between a citizen and law enforcement, it is very different from the other two, because the main character is depicted as someone who is ultimately deeply ashamed of his actions and seeks redemption through quiet acts of kindness to members of society who are struggling, rather than inciting others to further violence. In Woody Guthrie's song, the law enforcement figure is represented as the “bad guy.” One clear indication of this is the lyrical line: “There a deputy sheriff approached him in a manner rather rude, vulgar words of anger” (AZ Lyrics, 1) and the mentioned of the Floyd’s wife being crudely disrespected. This song was voiced in a third person perspective, as the narrator of the song was telling the story from an outside
perspective. In conclusion, each of these songs affected America in some fashion. The clear similarity between all three songs is that the law enforcement figures ended up being the “bad guys.” They all told a unique story about a violent altercation between a citizen and law enforcement personnel. All of these songs received a great reception from the artists’ fans as a majority of the songs rose to the top and became number one singles. Concurrently, two of the three songs were criticized and resented by law enforcement agencies and government officials because they felt that they were demeaning, mischaracterized all law enforcement as corrupt, and would incite violence against members of law enforcement.
There are several significant, as well as less significant, themes that are put forth by the author. Some themes that are not as meticulously elaborated on, but still contribute to the book, include the idea that war can corrupt the government and it’s actions, police brutality was part of the norm of the 1960s, and the word “power” had more than one meaning during the civil rights era. All these themes are important to take into consideration upon reading this book; however th...
...rotect residents from acts of police brutality,” at times resorting to violence in order to achieve their goal (Brittanica). Additionally, Morrison clearly models Guitar after Malcom X. Not only do they share similar ideals, but even share the same birth year and state of origin. Earlier in life, Malcom X did not support integration of black and white society, rather supporting the idea of black supremacy and separation. Guitar’s belief that white people are unnatural and evil parallels Malcom X’s early stances. Guitar and The Seven Days are Morrison’s reminder that violence and revenge are never appropriate responses. Guitar begins as a likeable and essentially good character, but falls from morality and allows hate to consume him. Though the reader can sympathize with Guitar and understand the source of his hate, it is clear that what he is doing is wrong.
But there ain’t; so we are. ”(160). As a result, when Morrison utilizes the spondee “black man,” which enhances the connotation of the word “victim,” she has used the character guitar as a representation of the views an individual of color had when it came to America’s court system. Thus, Guitar signifies the justice that the black community was hoping to experience after de-segregation, but unfortunately never received due to racism still thriving in America. Therefore, it’s within this Chapter that we see the character Guitar represent a battle between fighting for justice, and the psychological effects racism had on the way some of the members of the black community thought justice should be served within America.
The instruments utilized by the songwriters in “Bullet the Blue Sky” created a chaotic vibe for me as I was reading the poem. The big intro before the first verse of U2’s song helped me feel the tension in the song before the lyrics even commenced. I noticed that “Bullet the Blue Sky” kept referring to the tune of “The Ants Go Marching In.” I thought it was an excellent fit to the lyrics of the song, the tune symbolizing the United States military marching into the country of El Salvador. In “Minority Poem,” I enjoyed how Lum integrated tone, active voice, and explosive consonants into his poem to catch the audience’s attention. The symbols he utilized in his poem, such as apple pie, caught my attention. I was impressed with how Lum was able to convey a sarcastic tone in the poem merely by using certain words. The fact that Lum writes his poem in an aggressive tone gave me a sense that he was describing the hostility in which Caucasian Americans treat minorities in the U.S. in the active form. The words themselves in “Minority Poem” imply assertiveness and demonstrate the fact that Caucasian-Americans really dislike minorities. Overall, the poetic techniques and figurative language utilized in both poems set up a tone that helped me emotionally relate with the
Etheridge Knight’s “Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane” (1968) effectively illustrates the devastation a group of prisoners’ feel as the state of their hero, Hard Rock, is realized. Though he was once the most fearless of the inmates, he is no longer the man he once was due a lobotomy performed by the doctors. Hard Rock is no typical hero, however, he still represents the hope for a future that all the inmates admire. The loss of hope that comes with the destruction of the inmates’ hero is artfully communicated through Knight’s use of tonal shifts representing the shifts in the inmates’ reaction to this situation, the use of diction in the deification of Hard Rock, and the use of similes to avoid the acceptance
There is one universal language: the language of music. Music has a special quality and ability to bridge both social and cultural divides. A proposed theory by Dr. Gray, Founder and Director of National Musical Arts’ BioMusic Program; describes music has been around longer than human-beings have. Music is the one thing human beings from various backgrounds can relate to. Every living creature would agree. Music is heard everywhere not just among humans, but in nature as well, through the twitting of birds, winds blowing, the soft sound of raindrops against a windowpane, the ocean waves moving back and forth and the hum of the ocean rushing in a sea shell. There is no escaping it; music lives in and surrounds us steadily. While there are countless songs which confer social or cultural consciousness, this paper will analyze and address the dynamics of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes”, video. Stylistically, the paper will examine the artist point of view, the unique use of lyrical analysis and sound description in relation to its historical, social, political and/or cultural context. This essay will also trace the lyrical analysis and sound description of song and discuss how the elements (visually, sonically, and lyrically) interplay with the theme of immigration and/or violence.
The battle between the parents and the music industry still continue to this day. The Parents' Music Resource Center (PMRC) still thinks that there should be more of a regulation on the music than what there is now. "The 'gangsta rap' is just to vulgar for young teens to be listening to. It brainwashes them and sometimes even persuade them to do unlawful things" (Hip-Hop Lyrics). On the other hand the music industry has the "Parental Advisory Program." Therefore if the CD's with the explicit lyrics were restricted in any way it would bring unconstitutional restrictions on the First Amendment right of artists to express themselves freely, and their fans' right to hear what the artists express whatever the subject might be" (Explicit Lyrics). Many say, "What about 'Cop Killer' doesn't that depict that they go out and gunning down cops as a hobby of some sort." Rapper Ice-T himself comes back with, "'Cop Killer' is a work of musical fiction used in the hip-hop world" (Hip-Hop Lyrics).
The 1960’s was one of the most controversial decades in American history because of not only the Vietnam War, but there was an outbreak of protests involving civil and social conditions all across college campuses. These protests have been taken to the extent where people either have died or have been seriously injured. However, during the 1960’s, America saw a popular form of art known as protest music, which responded to the social turmoil of that era, from the civil rights movement to the war in Vietnam. A veritable pantheon of musicians, such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan sang their songs to encourage union organizers to protest the inequities of their time, creating a diverse variety of popular protest music, which has reached out to the youthful generations everywhere demanding for a revolutionary change. The protest music took the children of the 1960’s to a completely new different level. Musicians of this generation were not going to sit and do nothing while the government lied to the people about what was going on in Vietnam. Instead, they took their guitar-strumming troubadours from the coffee houses, plugged them in, and sent the music and the message into the college dorm rooms and the homes of the youth of America. However, as decades went by, protest music does not have much of an impact as it use to because of the way things have changed over the years. Through the analysis of the music during the 1960’s, there shall be an understanding on how the different genres of protest music has affected social protesters based on how musicians have become the collective conscience of that generation through their lyrics and music and the main factors that contributed to the lack of popula...
The year is1965, 8 years into the Vietnam war and 2 years in the shadow of a presidential assassination, marked the inception of an artistic vision, cut to Vinyl. Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 revisited is a testament to the state of America in the 1960s, using poetic devices, and engaging rock and roll music to capture the imagination of a breadth of people, unwittingly, it would seem, brought change to the minds of Americans. Opening their eyes to what was happening and inflicting a sense of new found justice in their hearts, Living vicariously through Bob Dylan’s intense imagery, due to the events unfolding in that period, People latched on to Dylan’s lyrics and imposed their own expression and feeling onto his songs.
They got caught up in a shootout between two gangs. Politicians and Ministers were quick to point the finger at today’s music. influencing gun crime in the U.S. The minister for tourism said, ‘The hateful. lyrics almost connote a culture killing is a fashion accessory”.
These are the kinds of music that often use violent lyrics and violent beats, depicting urban street gangs. Typical themes and ideas deal with street life including pimping, and hustling as well as killing and shooting (Malek 108). “I’m bout to bust some some shots off. I’m ‘bout to dust some cops off” (Ice-T). The lyrics of Ice-T’s Cop Killer evoked a loud outcry about whether ideas about killing police officers should be expressed publicly. It is not only the violent ideas expressed within the lyrics, but the context of which they are expressed. Rap is criticized because rappers are known to “sing of guns with almost lascivious glee”. They talk about their “pieces” or “glocks”, “ninas” or pistols as the “object of their affections”
For this assignment, I’ve chosen to research the album Bridge over Troubled Water. Released on January 26th 1970, this was the final album of the dynamic duo. Due to an unsteady relationship, and disagreements over the album, the duo decided to break up in 1970 (Unterberger, “Simon & Garfunkel”). At this time, the United States was well into the Vietnam War. With death tolls rising, the vast majority of US citizens opposed the war. Artists and music groups of the time portrayed this frustration with the war through their music. In particular, many music groups came together at the Woodstock Music Festival to promote peace and music. In fact, Simon & Garfunkel had to turn down an invite to Woodstock because they were working on the recording of Bridge over Troubled Water (Dimery, “Bridge over
This paper discusses the importance, literary elements, and historical impact of the song “Ohio” written by Neil Young and recorded by the rock group Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. The song responds to the May 4, 1970, Kent State massacre, the killing of four students in a protest rally against President Nixon. The paper also goes on to discuss the song’s logos, pathos, and ethos appeals, as well as the message conveyed by the lyrics and accompanying instrumentation. “Ohio” is deemed one of the greatest anti-war protest songs and not only does it protest the war but exemplifies the horrifying deaths of four students who were only exercising their rights of the United States Constitution.
Dixon, Travis L., TaKeshia Brooks. “Rap Music and Rap Audiences: Controversial Themes, Psychological Effects and Political Resistance.” Perspectives. 7 April 2009. .
The song that I choose to do this assignment on is Fight the Power by Public Enemy. Fight the Power was written in 1989 and quickly became a street anthem for millions of youths. It reflects with issues dealing with both the Civil Rights Movement and to remind everyone that they too have Constitutional Rights. This particular song is about empowerment but also fighting the abuse of power that is given to the law enforcement agencies. It gave citizens of the U.S a more modern outlook on the many struggles that not only the African American community is up against but the other minority groups as well. The song’s message was eventually supposed to bring people together and make the world a better place, even though some teens saw it as a way